NH CARES
Network for Responsible Budgeting
NH CARES UPDATE on School Bonding Savings & ACTION ALERT
May 20, 2008
Governor’s School Bonding Plan Saving $78m Resurfaces in HB 1646
The Senate amended HB 1646 (the 10 Year Transportation Plan) to include bonding the State contribution to School Building Aid. This means this proposal has resurfaced with the Governor’s and Senate’s support after being killed by the House last week when they passed SB 321 without it.
As reported in our last Alert, this SAVES the General Fund $78m for FY 2008-2009 - and at this late date (with no other revenues or savings of this size in sight) – it appears the HOUSE NEEDS to AGREE to this BONDING plan in HB 1646 (or SB 321) TO AVOID DEEP CUTS to the DHHS BUDGET for FY 2009.
This will not be easy. Although there is no question it both legal and defensible, members from both parties on House Finance did not like the idea – and in a Committee of Conference, ALL House Members have to agree to it. And although it has never been done before in NH (which always makes it difficult and raises questions), we see no downsides to the DHHS safety net from doing this as there are with other proposals – especially any that can save a guaranteed $78m right away.
ACTION NEEDED to Convince the HOUSE to BOND rather than CUT
TOMORROW the HOUSE will likely decide to appoint a COMMITTEE of CONFERENCE on HB 1646 to decide the fate of the Senate’s School Bonding Amendment. (We see almost no chance they will agree with the Senate Amendment tomorrow, although there is pressure on them to have
to negotiate on this to avoid losing the 10 Year Transportation Plan.)
We will SEND YOU the names of the HOUSE MEMBERS on the HB 1646 Committee of Conference tomorrow. PLEASE CONTACT THEM and URGE THEM to AGREE to the BONDING in Hb 1646 to AVOID deep FY 2009 DHHS CUTS. Also, contact your House rep with the same message. You must ACT QUICKLY since the final House vote is JUNE 4th.
